


Couldn't Miss This One This Year

by Arwen88



Category: Band of Brothers (TV 2001)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Fluff, M/M, Post-War, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:14:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28115994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arwen88/pseuds/Arwen88
Summary: Dick walked slowly towards him, looking so different, so much more mature and at the same time somehow less old than the last time they had seen each other on the other side of the ocean, the last night they had spent together, saying goodbye before Lewis was to go back home.But his eyes were the same. The look he had on his face at seeing Lewis was just the same.
Relationships: Lewis Nixon/Richard Winters
Comments: 2
Kudos: 38
Collections: Heavy Artillery Holiday Exchange 2020





	Couldn't Miss This One This Year

**Author's Note:**

  * For [miss_grey](https://archiveofourown.org/users/miss_grey/gifts).



Lewis had casually glanced up from his meal, towards the entrance of the hotel’s restaurant, when his eyes caught sight of the figure stepping closer to the maitre d’, clearly about to ask for a table.

Lewis’ breath wavered, stuck in his chest.

The chatter of the other clients, the soft music playing in the background, even the sound of his cutlery clinking against the porcelain of the dish as he dropped them, everything faded away.

The gaze of the other man somehow found Lewis’ own, and despite the distance between them Lewis could see his blue eyes widen in surprise, his eyebrows rise as his cheeks colored softly.

Lewis stood up without putting any thought behind the motion, unable to tear his gaze away from the man now slowly starting to smile at him. Lewis had no idea what his own face was doing, but by the way the maitre d’ stopped in his tracks from denying the newcomer to just walk up to Lewis’ table, he must have been more than clear how happy he was for the fortuitous meeting.

Dick walked slowly towards him, looking so different, so much more mature and at the same time somehow less old than the last time they had seen each other on the other side of the ocean, the last night they had spent together, saying goodbye before Lewis was to go back home.

But his eyes were the same. The look he had on his face at seeing Lewis was just the same.

Lewis didn’t need any mirror to know how desperately happy and hopeful and fond he must have been looking back at Dick. He only knew his cheeks hurt from his smile, and how warm Dick’s hand was in his when he finally got a hold of it with both hands.

“My dear,” he breathed, emotions spilling in his voice without Lewis caring enough to want to pull them back.

“Lewis. Lew,” Dick amended around a smile, taking in every inch of Lewis’ face, his own smile and once more his eyes. “It’s been so long…”

“Yes.” Lewis could only nod emphatically in agreement.

He had to force himself to wrench his gaze off Dick and to the maitre d’, who had seemed to drift closer without being noticed, probably waiting to know what they wanted to do for seating arrangements. Lewis simply nodded to his table without yet letting Dick go.

“Another place setting for the Major, please.”

The maitre d’ murmured an answer and nodded, disappearing to order it done while Lewis led Dick into sitting in front of him and his abandoned meal.

There was so much Lewis wanted to tell Dick, much he wanted to ask him.

It had been truly a long time, and a lot had happened to him in the meantime. He could only imagine what Dick could have gone through since the end of the war.

There was some bitter guilt there, mixed with his happiness, because they had definitely promised to hear from each other once they were back. But life had picked up and Lewis had fallen down heavy.

It had been years before he had managed to get on his feet again. And through all that Lewis had been mostly too ashamed of himself to even think about contacting Dick again and risk he might find him lacking.

Dick, sitting in front of him, inhaled deeply, something settling inside of him, but he didn’t look like he was readying himself for a battle or for keeping a neutral face through some speech. He parted his lips once, but then he closed his mouth once more, merely wetting his lips with the tip of his tongue.

Neither managed to utter a word, just looking at each other until the servers finished setting the table for Dick too and brought him a menu.

Finally alone, Lewis took his courage in both hands.

“You look very good,” he complimented Dick with an appraising look that had Dick blushing slightly and Lewis’ smile growing. “Life out of the service treating you well?”

“Quite,” Dick admitted with the smile he always had when he was proud of his achievememtns and trusted the people he was about to show it to. “I started my own company out in Pennsylvania, selling animal feed. What about you? Still working in Nixon, New Jersey, for your father?”

Lewis jerked his chin slightly, inhaling sharply at the mere idea. “Oh, no, I got out of there, thank God. New Jersey wasn’t- it wasn’t really good for me.” He frowned slightly at the thought, lowering his eyes to his cooling soup. “It wasn’t a good place for any of my family. I inherited a vineyard here in California from my mother, and I gladly moved here.”

Dick nodded slowly, looking impressed. “So what are you doing now?”

“I’m a vintner.” He smirked. “Nobody can’t say I’m not an expert.”

Dick huffed a smile. “That you are,” he said with a certain fondness.

Dick had always been fond of him, Lewis remembered with a pang to his chest, the only one seemingly not judging him. The only one who had always wanted Lew close, and not for his family’s money.

“So, you here for business?”

“Yes, a possible client wanted to see me here today.” He rolled his eyes in the same way he always had.

Even that somehow gave Lewis a pang of fondness for the man in front of him.

As soon as his mind connected how close they were to the holidays, an idea sprang on him and Lewis licked his lips, his heart suddenly beating faster. “No Christmas with the family then?”

“Well, I can hardly make it out back to Pennsylvania in time,” Dick reasoned with a wave of his hand to the Christmas decorations hanging around the restaurant. “Had to take a room for a couple nights.”

“You could stay here,” Lewis offered before he could think better of it. “Not here _here_ , at my place. My house isn’t even an hour away. I just stopped here for dinner before going back,” he explained to Dick’s shocked face.

“Lew, I can’t-”

“Of course you can. Beats staying for Christmas in a hotel.” He waved a hand, leaning back when a waiter brought Dick’s order to the table.

Dick kept quiet for a moment, until they were alone once more.

“Lew…”

“I’d be alone too and with no plans for Christmas,” Lewis admitted softly, watching Dick inhale deeply and hold his breath, his eyes studying Lewis with the old focus, and a touch of what Lewis could only hope was interest. “You’d be doing me a favor,” he pressed.

“Are you sure?” Dick looked just about to let go of his reluctance, and his eyes fell over the twitch of Lewis’ hand on the table when he had to stop himself from reaching out towards Dick’s own. His eyes softened when he looked back to Lewis’ face. “Lew…”

“Would it be so bad to spend some time together? Catch up? Unless…” He shook his head slowly, his eyes falling once more over Dick’s left hand. “Unless it wouldn't be alright?”

“I can’t see why not. I’m the master of my own time now.”

Lewis couldn’t look away from the quiet strength in Dick’s eyes, unable to stop hoping for something he had long thought lost.

***

Lewis only needed to make a phone call home before departing from the hotel, to let Arthur - his butler - know they were going to have a guest and to air one of the bedrooms.

He could hardly contain his enthusiasm at the chance of having Dick spend Christmas at his villa, to show him the life he had made for himself.

“You weren’t kidding about having no plans for Christmas, weren’t you?” Dick asked with a chuckle after shrugging his coat off in the entrance hall of Lewis’ villa, his eyes sweeping around over the tasteful paintings Lewis’ mother had chosen years before and the utter lack of any type of festive decoration.

“Have we ever needed decorations to celebrate Christmas?” Lewis asked with a lopsided grin, his mind on the times they had had fun despite being away from home and without trees or flashy presents.

He nodded to his butler as he handed his coat over, leaving Arthur behind with a goodnight and some arrangements for breakfast before he led Dick towards the bedrooms.

“I can at least promise the dinner will be better than the last one we had in Belgium.” He grinned, chancing to place his hand at the small of Dick’s back as they went up the stairwell, his heart full of hope that it wasn’t a gesture unwelcome.

He almost stopped breathing when Dick threw him a glance, but there was a little knowing smile on his lips, and his eyes were fond when they found Lewis. Instead of pulling away, Dick seemed to lean against his touch and Lewis took it as permission to stand closer as they headed down the hallway to their bedrooms.

“Last one I had three beans, Lew. It’s hard to do worse than that.”

“I won’t complain for the bar being low. I’ll assure you: Emma, my cook, is spectacular. And in the meantime, this will surely be a more pleasant accomodation that the hotel you had originally booked. Or the freezing hole we shared last time.”

“I didn’t mind our hole. Even though I was starving,” Dick admitted while they put down his bags in the guestroom that had been readied for him.

Lewis hesitated on the spot instead of turning and leaving Dick to rest, fully knowing it was late and yet reticent to leave him alone so soon after just meeting him again.

“If I remember correctly I gifted you chocolate when we arrived back to our hole. And then I made sure you were warm.”

 _And satisfied_ he didn’t add, but it was there in his grin, and in the twinkle in Dick’s gaze, proof he knew what Lew was thinking about.

“I remember…”

“Think I can do better now,” he breathed, his whole body pulled taut by his desire to step closer, bridge the distance between them and find Dick’s lips once again like years before, like he had dreamed of for so long since then.

“I’m sure you will.” Dick sounded so certain of him, but he also stood where he was, not a hint of having the same desire for more that burned in Lewis. “Goodnight, Lew. I’ll see you in the morning.”

Lewis gave a little nod, forcing himself to step back and out of the room, to give Dick some space.

“Goodnight, Dick. I’ll be just next door if you need anything.”

***

Dick stopped halfway down the stairs when he saw what Lewis and his butler were pushing and pulling across the entrance hall.

“Is that an orange tree?”

Lewis stopped and straightened his back, looking up at Dick. “It’s our Christmas tree!” He beamed at his friend, quite proud of himself.

There were maybe three seconds of silence before Dick burst out laughing.

“Nix! That’s an orange tree!”

Lewis huffed, even though he couldn’t help the swelling of happiness at the carefree laugh from Dick. It had been so long since he had last seen him so relaxed.

“Listen, I had short notice. It’s Christmas and we are going to decorate it. That makes it a Christmas tree.”

Dick kept on chuckling even while he descended the stairs, rolling up his sleeves to help them pull and tug the small tree and its pot into the living room.

“Do you even have Christmas decorations?”

“Uhm, I think there are some ornaments in a crate in the attic from a few years ago. And we have popcorn.”

Dick smiled fondly at him through the branches and leaves. “Candy? Bet you have some. We could hang them.”

“Ah, you know me too well. Even if I remember you having a sweeter tooth than me.”

“I do,” Dick admitted easily with a little tilt of his head.

They put the tree where it could clearly be seen without being in the way.

“We could start with the popcorn maybe. And then we can see if there’s something else we could use to make it festive. And the oranges help, I guess.” Lewis frowned, looking critically at the tree.

He barely noticed the moment he and Dick were left alone, and turned only when Dick pressed their shoulders together, so close Lewis could count his eyelashes.

“It’s going to be great, Lew… I’m just happy to be spending it with a friend, honestly.”

Lewis put his hand over the small of Dick’s back, happy to feel the line of his body against his side.

“I should probably be making a couple phone calls home, to let my mother and my assistant know I can be reached here instead of the hotel,” Dick added, throwing a glance at him.

“How is she?”

“She’s fine. Very invested in my sister expecting her second baby.”

“Congratulations! At least someone is giving her grandkids.”

“Right. She probably lost any hope for me.” He smiled a little lopsided.

“I can’t say I’m sad you didn’t get married,” Lewis admitted softly, holding Dick’s gaze.

“Didn’t you get married a second time?”

“Yeah, but she couldn’t stand New Jersey. Turned out she couldn’t stand me either, not after she had to deal with me on a daily basis, and not with me barely holding onto myself after the war.”

Dick didn’t answer right away, but there was a distant look in his eyes, as he was probably pulled back to some memory.

“It wasn’t easy for anybody.”

Lewis studied him in silence, somehow reading on his face that Dick was speaking about himself and not about the other boys. Even if he was still in contact with many of them and Lewis could bet they too had had bad times once back at home.

Lewis had lost contact with basically everybody since the end of the war but Harry and Kitty. It would have been easy to pull Dick into discussing the guys, make him talk about what had come of Talbot or of Lipton, or even about any of the Philly guys that Lewis had understood Dick was still hearing about from something he had hinted at the previous night at dinner.

But Lewis didn’t want Dick to keep thinking about the war, no matter that it was so easy to talk about it with others who had been there. He rather have Dick focus on the present and on something silly.

That was how he pulled Dick up the stairs with him to search for a dusty crate of Christmas decorations.

“I have no memory of these.” Lewis frowned when they unearthed a bunch of Santa hats and stockings in between the pretty decorations somebody - probably Arthur - had had the foresight to wrap in an abundance of paper.

Dick grinned up at him mischieviously and straightened from his crouch beside the crate only to put one of those hats on Lewis’ head. “Here, Santa Lewis.”

Lewis snorted at the idea, but then a mischievous grin spread on his lips and he raised an eyebrow at his friend. “Are you going to sit on my lap and try to convince me that you’ve been good this year?”

The intake of Dick’s breath sounded loud in the dusty silence of the attic.

Lewis watched as Dick’s eyes widened in surprise and maybe something else, his cheeks reddening prettily when Lewis stepped closer to him.

“Dick…”

“I’ve been good,” Dick whispered, looking back at him with the same intensity that had always managed to get Lewis a little hot for him.

It wasn’t difficult to see he was breathing quickly, and Lewis followed with his eyes as Dick wetted his lips with the tip of his tongue.

The kiss felt inevitable, the two of them unable to keep away from each other.

It was almost like the first kiss they had ever shared, one moment just looking at each other and then holding their friend in their arms as if their lives depended on it, kissing with desperation and no little amount of heat.

Holding Dick in his arms felt like coming home once again, his body hard and perfect against his own, just like Lewis used to remember him. The same taste and the same passion, the same scent on his skin that Lewis had never been able to find anywhere else, on anybody else but him.

Dick held him in a vicious grip, almost as if fearing Lewis would step back from him, from them, to find out it had been nothing but a dream. Lewis couldn’t do anything else but press harder against him, making Dick feel how hard he had wished for that moment to happen.

Dick looked a little wild when they broke apart, both a little short of breath, lips red and swollen. “Lew-” He swallowed and closed his eyes, visibly making an effort to find his composure. It would probably have worked better if either of them had let go of the other. “What if Arthur finds us in this position?” he asked in a whisper.

“I keep my mouth shut about him and the milkman, pretty sure he’ll keep his mouth shut if he sees anything.” He grinned, letting his hands wander lower on Dick’s back until he was squeezing his butt and Dick let out a moan that went straight to Lewis’ cock. “But we could move to my room if you prefer, leave the Christmas decorations for later.”

***

Lewis took his sweet time undressing Dick with none of the hurry that had characterized many of their encounters during the war, fearing they would be found out by their own people or hit by the enemy if they stepped away from the others.

There was also the fact they had matured and the time apart had taught both of them the preciousness of every moment together.

Every movement, every inch of freed skin was cherished, every kiss as important as the previous one and the next.

He had not expected to ever have Dick lay on top of his bedsheets, in his bed in his California villa, not outside of his wet dreams or the moments he couldn’t help but daydream of how things could have been if only he had had the courage to send a letter.

But those dreams had always been a little bittersweet, and reality was much sweeter for the knowledge that Dick didn’t care that Lewis had been a coward, keeping silent once back home.

Dick still wanted him.

Dick, who looked a little softer than he had been the whole time they had known each other but was still so lean and lightly muscular, clearly keeping himself fit through work and exercise. He was still so handsome that Lewis couldn’t help but feel a little self conscious of the soft belly he had developed after the war, when he had completely ceased running or practising any kind of sport.

He was pretty sure he would drop dead if he tried taking a walk even half as long as the ones he used to take when it was his duty to patrol the line. But Dick didn’t seem to care in the slightest by the way he slowly ran his hands over Lewis’ body, looking at him with what seemed awe in his eyes.

Dick didn’t ask him how long it had been since his last time, or if he had had other partners since him, and Lewis felt somehow deeply grateful for it. He wouldn’t have been sure if it would be better to tell the truth or lie if asked, and didn’t know what he would have hoped to get from Dick in terms of reaction to any answer of his.

He lost himself in the feeling of Dick’s long fingers slowly breaching him, preparing him.

He felt even more naked than he actually was with the way Dick didn't lift his eyes off him for a single moment. Dick seemed to study him with his quiet intensity while he twisted his fingers inside of Lewis to make him moan and writhe under him. Lewis could only grab the bed sheets under him and try to hold on for the ride. He was already near his limit from the way Dick slowly worked him open with two fingers, his other hand wrapped around Lewis' cock, pumping it slowly namely to keep him distracted.

Lewis could see how affected Dick was, himself. His cock was hard between his legs while he stared at the angry red of the head of Lewis' cock, barely peeking from the ring of his fingers. Lewis let out a long whine when Dick smeared a bead of pre-come with the pad of his thumb, sighing when Dick let go of his erection in favor of licking his thumb clean, his eyes fixed on Lewis' face.

Lewis felt himself die a little inside at the sight, and he couldn't help the jerk of his hips.

"Dick-"

"Soon," Dick shushed him softly, bringing his hand back on him to jerk him off. He smirked a little at seeing Lewis' eyelashes flutter in pleasure.

Lewis barely noticed when Dick pushed in a third finger, but he let out a loud whine when Dick stopped his movements to make sure he was still alright with it.

"Stop torturing me..."

Dick smiled fondly at him and leaned down to kiss him on the lips. It was a chance that Lewis couldn't ignore. He hurried to wrap his arms around his lover's shoulders to pull him closer, happily kissing him with passion while Dick grunted softly at the position he was forced into.

He had to choose if he wanted to keep touching Lewis or do something else, and Lewis was glad to see Dick decide that Lewis had had enough preparation.

Lewis threw his head back with a gasp when Dick finally pushed inside of him.

It had been quite some time from his last chance to have a man take him that way, even though Lewis didn't really care to let Dick know that, and he was suddenly glad for Dick taking his time making sure Lewis was ready for it.

Still, he wasn't prepared for the amount of eye contact that making love with Dick entailed, his lover seemingly set into committing every second of it to memory.

It made him feel naked, every desire he had bared for Dick to see.

Dick of course knew all of them already. And Lewis would have gladly told everything he wished to know if Dick asked.

"You're so beautiful," Dick breathed, slowly thrusting into him.

Lewis was left gasping for a moment, and it had nothing to do with the pleasurable drag of Dick's cock inside of him. He flushed under Dick's gaze, unused to that form of praise anymore.

Something that looked a lot like possessiveness flashed in Dick's eyes, but in a second he had leaned down to press his lips to Lewis’, kissing him with passion and muffling any complaint he could have had about being called beautiful.

He simply held on tight to Dick, trying to push his hips down on his cock, and moaned into the kiss when Dick pressing down on top of him made Lewis' cock rub against Dick's naked stomach, giving him an added stimulus that had Lewis moaning and groaning at every roll of Dick's hips.

"Dick, Dick," he called his lover between kisses, almost chanting his name in his desperation, just a step away from his limit. "Dick, I'm close."

Dick swallowed on top of him, staring him down, but instead of keeping the rhythm he had set since the start he stopped from a moment, pulling out almost completely before he thrust in harder.

Lewis gasped loudly at that onslaught. He needed barely two of those thrusts before he was spilling between the two of them with a loud groan and every muscle in his body pulled taut.

He couldn't hear or notice anything beyond the rush of blood in his ears and the rabbity beating of his heart, pleasure singing through all his body. He started coming back to himself only when he noticed the thumping of the bedframe against the wall.

When he opened his eyes Dick had both hands on the headboard and his eyes fixed on Lewis under him, his lips parted as he breathed hard with every hard push he gave to drive himself deep inside of Lewis.

Lewis couldn't help the whimper that escaped him. Without thinking he tried to push his hips up for the other, to have him deeper, and hooked his hands behind his knees.

"Dick..."

Dick let out something between a snarl and a growl at seeing Lewis so ready for him, and he suddenly pushed himself balls deep in Lewis, stopping there and shuddering with his eyes scrunched closed. No sound left his parted lips, but Lewis moaned softly himself at the feeling of wetness spreading inside of him.

"Love..."

Dick's eyes snapped open at the soft word, but before Lewis could grow self-conscious for it or doubt it was welcome anymore, Dick beamed down at him, suddenly looking younger.

It was almost as if Lewis still calling him that had taken years off his shoulders. Lewis felt his heart give a lurch in his chest at the realization that Dick had probably wanted the reassurance he was still wanted as much as Lewis had needed it.

***

Lewis sighed deeply, unable to shake off a smile as he looked at Dick lazily lying half on top of him, his head pillowed over Lewis' chest. He raked his fingers through Dick's hair, gently scratching at the nape of his neck.

He tilted his head against the touch of Dick's hand on his cheek, turning to brush his lips against Dick's long fingers.

The tenderness of Dick's caresses and the love in his gaze were enough for him to feel his heart squeeze in his chest. He couldn't believe he had truly managed to have Dick back in his life.

"Do you remember what you told me the first time we kissed?" Dick asked with a lopsided smile, slowly brushing his thumb over Lewis' bottom lip.

Lewis puckered his lips, amused, and kissed the pad of Dick's thumb before nodding and letting it slip down his chin. "You thought I was more interested in running behind old Dobie than spending time with you. As if I stopped mooning over you for half a minute since the moment we met in OCS. You were leaning back from your desk, cutting such a dashing figure, looking all prim and serious. I was basically salivating while looking at you and you didn't even notice. And then you went _you can go to him, no need to stay here holding my hand while I write this report._ "

Dick huffed a self-deprecating smile, looking down for a moment. "I was so convinced your interest was just a fantasy of mine, and that you would rather spend time with Dobie. I hated him so much." He shrugged gently, not too preoccupied with the competition anymore.

Lewis shook his head slightly, running the tips of his fingers over the shell of one of Dick's ears. "And I told you that no matter if the world was on fire or not, I was always going to choose you."

Dick looked at him with an intensity that had Lewis' breath wavering. He swallowed as Dick lifted himself from him to reach closer and press a kiss to his lips.

If Dick were to ask, Lewis would have chosen him every day of his life, come what may.

"Will you still?" Dick asked in a whisper between kisses, his face too close for Lewis to see his expression.

He could only feel Dick's breath on his skin and he nodded his head, not even knowing what to say. He simply pulled Dick closer with a hand behind the nape of his neck, pushing to deepen the kiss as soon as Dick parted his lips for him.

***

Lewis stared down at the uneven line of popcorn on his thread, judging it especially hard when he looked at the perfect one Dick was producing beside him on the couch.

"I have to admit I have no experience with this."

Dick laughed, relaxed and happy, and leaned in to bump their shoulders together. "I've been doing this for years. Yours is okay, don't worry."

Lewis snorted, perfectly aware that he was slow, but also that he was eating more than he was putting through the needle.

More than once he had caught Dick's hand twitching, clearly holding himself back from slapping Lewis arm whenever he saw him throw a kernel in his mouth. Instead he opened his mouth obediently for Lewis when he pressed a piece of popcorn against Dick's lips to feed it to him.

Dick chewed even as he shook his head.

They went hunting down the candy and chocolates around the house after they hung the popcorn garlands around their Christmas tree. Emma, the cook, luckily had some colorful thread to give them to hang the chocolates to the branches. The wrappers of the chocolates made for a great effect on the small crown of the tree, purple and gold, bright red and soft pink.

"It's quite pretty." Dick nodded with approval, wrapping an arm around Lewis' back.

Lewis smiled proudly at their creation and leaned his head onto Dick's shoulder. It was the happiest he had felt in too long. It was probably the first Christmas after the war that he didn't feel like spending alone, battling his desire for a bottle of whisky.

He couldn't help but wish for a whole year feeling that good.

Now, if only he could make Dick move there with him, his life would be complete.

Maybe one step at a time.

***

They retired to the living room after dinner, complimenting Emma for what she had made them and bringing the hot apple cider with them.

Lewis had had the fire lit in the mantle, happy to lend a hand to the atmosphere as soon as he heard the night was to be a little chilly. It was nothing compared to Pennsylvania’s winter, for sure, and there was never going to be snow for Christmas in California, but there was nothing to complain about either.

Lewis looked with approval at the Christmas tree they had decorated together, letting Dick deal with choosing the program he wanted to listen to on the radio. He couldn’t hold back a grin when Dick threw him a smile over his shoulder at the sound of Christmas music filling the room.

It was one of the easiest things Lewis had ever done to get up from the couch and cover the distance between the two of them. Dick turned towards him, taking the offered hand from Lewis, and Lewis gently pulled him closer and into his arms.

Dick went easily, holding Lewis’ hand and letting Lewis guide him into putting his other one on his shoulder.

Lewis had always immensely enjoyed the times Dick would let him lead the way, relinquishing the command he had when their ranks were involved.

Now, with the war behind them, he was glad Dick didn’t feel the need to get back the power he had once had. Instead, Dick seemed relaxed as he followed Lewis’ steps.

"Were you really going to stay here in your house without doing anything at all for Christmas?" Dick wondered with a little fond smile on his lips.

Lewis moved his head left and right, shrugging. “I received a few invites. I always do. But I rarely accept. This is way better,” he added with a grin, slowly swinging Dick across his living room at the music coming from the radio, one hand at the small of his back, the other holding Dick’s free hand in his own.

Dick let him lead in the dance, relaxed in his arms even if Lewis kept him almost flush against his chest, something he rarely let happen when they weren’t locked inside a room. He had apparently forgotten there was anybody else in the house, holding Lewis’ gaze as they slowly moved back and forth, trading kisses from time to time.

Lewis closed his eyes with a sigh when Dick bent his head to press his forehead against Lewis’ neck. It was easy then for Lewis to wrap both arms around his lover, pulling him even closer even if it forced them to simply sway on the spot.

Dick held him just as tight, turning to nuzzle against Lewis’ throat. “Way better than any of my previous Christmases too.”

Lewis tilted his head, pressing it gently against Dick’s.

“Is this where I’m supposed to ask for my Christmas present?”

“What would you like for me to give you?” Dick asked placidly, pulling back his head to look at Lewis. He let out an amused chuckle when he saw the way Lewis wiggled his eyebrows at him. “You’re impossible…”

“I’m not impossible. I have a nice bedroom upstairs, a bed you said - and I quote - is ‘scrumptious,’” he laughed, ignoring the playful swat from Dick when he had imitated his voice. “And I know that you want to give it to me just as much as I want it, too.” He smirked, managing to hold back just a couple seconds before he smacked a loud kiss to Dick’s lips.

Dick shook his head, rolling his eyes, but there was a huge smile on his lips and pink on his cheeks, and Lewis found him beautiful.

“Impossible. You’re impossible.”

“But you’re going to follow me upstairs even if I’m impossible, right?”

Dick sighed deeply, faking aggravation. “If I have to.”

“Well, we could always stay here instead, finish our cider, listen to the carols and reminisce about war time while-”

“Go,” Dick laughed, turning him by the shoulders and gently pushing him towards the stairs. “You’re terrible. And a terrible influence.”

“I’m a terrible influence? You’re the one pushing me. And who gifted me more wine and champagne than I could drink in a lifetime? Who carried my Vat across ocean and half Europe for me?”

“You hid that in my footlocker!” Dick protested, sounding quite outraged as they climbed the stairs.

“That I did. But you could have taken it out as soon as we touched land.” Lewis grinned at him, a twinkle in his eyes as he thought about the first time he considered Dick might return his feelings. “But you didn’t. You kept it all the while in England, and even carried it to France. And through Holland, Belgium, Germany. How many times could you have gotten rid of it? Just told me to take it back or-”

“Yeah, yeah…” Dick huffed softly, looking away, embarrassed. But he didn’t pull away when Lewis entwined their fingers, pulling him into his bedroom. “Maybe I liked that you kept coming back to me whenever you finished your flask,” he admitted in a low murmur when the door was closed and locked behind them, even if he still didn’t want to meet Lewis’ gaze.

Lewis reached out with his free hand, gently carding his fingers through Dick’s hair, cupping his cheek with his warm palm. “Maybe I kept it there because I liked the chance to see you over and over again.”

Dick threw him a glance then, his shoulders relaxing, and he leaned closer when Lewis pulled him in, readily parting his lips for Lewis to kiss him deeply.

“So, maybe I won’t be asking for you-know-what this Christmas,” Lewis considered while they divested each other.

Dick merely hummed, pointedly raising an eyebrow while pushing down Lewis’ pants.

“I mean that I’m not asking for the dick, Dick. Besides asking for it right about now.” Lewis huffed, mostly just to see Dick scoff at him. “I mean that I wanted to specifically ask for something else.”

“And what’s that?”

Lewis took a deep breath, holding it in for a couple seconds before letting it out in a woosh, his eyes fixed on Dick’s fond smile. “I want you to stay here with me.”

Dick blinked, stilling completely in surprise. But then, just as Lewis was preparing himself to say it was alright if he didn’t want to, Dick pulled his lips into a wry smile, considering.

“I guess we need to wait and see if Santa Claus decides you’ve been good this year.”

Lewis beamed at him, biting his bottom lip in an attempt to contain his happiness while he threw a glance up at the ceiling. “I’ve been good. Never been bad. Never done anything wrong, not once, ever, in my life.”

Dick laughed and pushed him towards the bed. “Never!”

“Never ever! I assure you!”

“Yeah, people should call you Saint Lewis.” Dick laughed, crawling on top of the covers with nothing but his boxers on.

Lewis nodded with both eyebrows high, pushing the bedsheets down for them to lie under. “They do! I even have a city in my name.”

It took Dick a moment to understand he was talking about Saint Louis and not Nixon, New Jersey, but then he laughed harder, shoving at Lewis. “Oh, God, you’re so full of shit! I can’t believe I love you.”

Lewis went down on the mattress with a chuckle, but not before taking a hold of one of Dick’s wrists to pull his lover on top of himself, his heart bursting at seeing Dick so happy and relaxed.

“But you do, don’t you?”

“I do,” Dick confirmed around a smile, leaning in to kiss him once more.

***

Christmas morning found them curled around each other, wrapped in their cocoon of soft, warm covers. Dick was snoring softly, his face pressed against Lewis’ shoulder. There was a wet patch on the pillow that Lewis was pretty sure meant Dick had drooled through the night. He had terrible bedhead, tufts of red hair going in all direction, and Lewis could bet the side he was sleeping on was probably flat in an unflattering way. But his cheeks were pink and warm in his sleep, his arm slung over Lewis’ middle, his whole body a sweltering line against Lewis’ side.

He was beautiful.

It was Christmas morning, and Dick was still there in Lewis’ bed.

That must have counted for something. Maybe he was going to get what he had wished for.

Finally.


End file.
